Drip Tips: A Plumbing Blog

​Installing a water filtration systemin your home will improve the taste of your drinking water and help remove any dangerous microorganisms that might have made it through the municipal treatment system. Filtration systems vary, but there are a number of things you can do to determine which water filter is right for your home and family.

What’s in your water supply?

The first thing to figure out is what you’re trying to remove from the water. There are a number of ways to do this, from getting a copy of your area’s water quality report from your local water utility or testing the water yourself with an at-home test kit (you can find these at most home improvement stores). The Environmental Working Group also maintains a national database that uses results from millions of tests in almost 50,000 American cities.

We’ve all been told there are certain items that we just shouldn’t flush down the toilet, but even the smallest, seemingly inconsequential items can clog and contaminate. There are probably more than a few things we’ve flushed without realizing the impact on our pipes and the waterways around us.

​Here are a few things to avoid flushing to help prevent the need for toilet repairs, keep your pipes clog-free, and our waterways safe:

Facial Tissues, Paper Towels, & Wipes

While tissues, paper towels, and wipes are similar to toilet paper, they aren’t quite the same. Most facial tissues are treated with chemical binders to help them stay intact, and even “flushable” wipes aren’t as soft and degradable as toilet paper and may contain may contain rayon or viscose, which accumulate in the oceans and bodies of water around us. Your best bet with products like tissues, paper towels, and wipes is to throw them in the trash. Bidets are also an increasingly popular alternative to flushable wipes.